Wireless: from Marconi's Black-box to the Audion
Wireless is a methodical account of the early development of wireless telegraphy and the inventors who made it possible. Sungook Hong examines several early significant inventions, including Hertzian waves and optics, the galvanometer, transatlantic signaling, Marconi's secret-box, Fleming's air-blast key and double transformation system, Lodge's syntonic transmitter and receiver, the Edison effect, the thermionic valve, and the audion and continuous wave. Wireless fills the gap created by Hugh Aitken, who described at length the early development of wireless communication, but who did not attempt "to probe the substance and context of scientific and engineering practice in the early years of wireless" (p. x). Sungook Hong seeks to fill this gap by offering an exhaustive analysis of the theoretical and experimental engineering and scientific practices of the early days of wireless; by examining the borderland between science and technology; depicting the transformation of scientific effects into technological artifacts; and showing how the race for scientific and engineering accomplishment fuels the politic of the corporate institution. While the author succeeds in fulfilling these goals, the thesis, it seems, is to affirm Guglielmo Marconi's place in history as the father of wireless telegraphy.
Wireless begins with a brief discussion of the 1995 centennial of the invention of radio by Marconi and a rebuttal by the British historians who oppose this claim. Using underused or previously overlooked or perhaps ignored resources the author disproves the claims against the originality and ingenuity of Marconi's 1897 patent on wireless telegraphy. While credit is given to several British scientists and engineers and their scientific discoveries and inventions, it was Marconi, a practitioner, who made the first significant breakthrough in practical wireless telegraphy when he "connected one end of the plate of the receiver, and one end of the transmitter, to the earth" (p. 20). Marconi transformed these scientific effects into wireless technologies and then exploited them for commercial purposes. The focus of British scientists and engineers on optical analogies, scientific experimentation and demonstration, and the fear of British national interests becoming monopolized (particularly by a foreigner) are the primary reasons for the dispute surrounding Marconi's patent. (By 1897 it was clear how wireless telegraphy would impact military interests.) The author shows in great detail how British scientists and engineers, namely physicist Oliver Lodge, J. J. Thomson, Minchin, Rollo Appleyard, and Campbell Swinton, deliberately constructed false scientific and social claims to discredit the originality of Marconi's patent.
A military genius, Grant possessed the vision to see that modern warfare requires total application of military and economic strength and was thus able to lead the Union to victory. In civilian life, however, he was unable to provide the leadership necessary for a growing industrial nation, even though he always retained the affection of the American public.
All fields of science affects the lives of many people, but the inventors are left out. Inventors make many lives more comfortable and convenient. George Edward Alcorn, Jr. was a not so well-known inventor, but he...
The MPAA rating system is outdated. The recent advances in technology allow children to see movies regardless of the rating. The rating system worked well for the early years, but recently “kids slip into the movies they want to see. . . . They also see them at home on widely available DVDs, on cable, and via popular streaming services like Netflix and Amazon” (Ebert 2). Even when kids go to the theater to see movies they can “theater hop” or buy a ticket to a low rated movie and slip into the R rated film of their choice. DVDs and the Internet both provide ways for kids to watch movies that contain objectionable material. Websites that offer the o...
Due the fact that he was not there to tend to his wife during her dying days, he decided to end his career of painting and tried to develop a technology that could transmit and receive information that was faster than the current methods that were available during th...
This paper is a discussion of the role played by the ideals of the Enlightenment in the invention and assessment of artifacts like the electric battery. The first electric battery was built in 1799 by Alessandro Volta, who was both a natural philosopher and an artisan-like inventor of intriguing machines. I will show that the story of Volta and the battery contains three plots, each characterized by its own pace and logic. One is the story of natural philosophy, a second is the story of artifacts like the battery, and the third is the story of the loose, long-term values used to assess achievement and reward within and outside expert communities. An analysis of the three plots reveals that late eighteenth-century natural philosophers, despite their frequent celebration of 'useful knowledge,' were not fully prepared to accept the philosophical dignity of artifacts stemming from laboratory practice. Their hesitation was the consequence of a hierarchy of ranks and ascribed competence that was well established within the expert community. In order to make artifacts stemming from laboratory practice fully acceptable within the domain of natural philosophy, some important changes had yet to occur. Still, the case overwhelmingly shows that artifacts rightly belong to the long and varied list of items that make up the legacy of the Enlightenment.
George Washington had many roles throughout his life in which he expressed his character and leadership. He was able to provide for his family at a young age. He also served in the military during the French and Indian War, and believed himself to be an innovative farmer. After, he was the Commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. During his Presidency, Washington was able to bring the new country together and gain foreign exchanges. When he returned home, he died with his family and friends by his side. George Washington was a great founder of this
Hollar, Sherman. Pioneers of the Industrial Age: Breakthroughs in Technology. New York: Britannica Educational Pub. in Association with Rosen Educational Services, 2013. Web.
Much to the surprise of the author who knew that there were a few Yankee relatives that had come from the north after the war, the assumption that all the southern based families fought for the south was quickly dispelled with a little research. Interestingly enough the family stories were never very clear on issues of the war and the Yankees hidden in the history of a family that helped to tame the Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma territory.
As the first president of the United States, George Washington had a unique opportunity to mold the image and duties of the position. He worked hard to distance the new office from the old monarchy and gain respect with the Old World for this new nation.
From his birth on February 22, 1732 in Bridges Creek, Virginia until his death on December 14, 1799 in Mount Vernon, Virginia, George Washington was a very sensible and significant man. Because his mother was very active in the public, George became accustomed to this lifestyle of dealing with the majority of people in a society. Along with his father being very active in public and with the people of Bridges Creek, George’s father was also a middling planter with over ten-thousand acres of land used on his plantation.
Seabrook, John. "Annals of Invention The Flash of Genius." The New Yorker 11 January 1993. web.
George Washington is best known as the "Father of our Country." He cared for this country much like a parent would care for a child. During his presidency, he solved many noteworthy problems. His achievements led to a democratic, wonderful country we like to call The United States of America. Although he’s not thought of as glamorous, George Washington is looked upon with the utmost respect and awe by all countries of the world. George Washington was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia on February 22, 1732. He was the oldest son of a Virginia farmer. Washington received most of his education at home. When he was 17 he was appointed surveyor of Culpeper County, Virginia. In 1752 Washington inherited Mount Vernon, in Fairfax County. The same year he was appointed adjutant of the southern district of Virginia, a full-time salaried appointment, carrying the rank of major. He wanted to eventually secure a commission in the regular British army. In 1753, Virginia was alarmed when a French expedition from Canada established posts on the headwaters of the Ohio River. Conflict over this area eventually erupted into the French and Indian War, in which Washington played a major military role that established his reputation as a commander. In the fall of 1758 the French were defeated. In 1759 he married Martha Dandridge Custis, a wealthy young widow. Washington matured into a solid member of Virginia society. From 1759 to 1774 he served in the House of Burgesses. By...
Many inventions have impacted the world throughout history but in my opinion one of the most impactful one’s was the invention of the radio . This invention provided society with many things which include entertainment, communication, and easier access to information. Radio is still a central part of the society today but just like any other invention radio has an interesting history of how it progressed through time.
To some, World War II may seem like a great war that happened a long time ago, a war where however great the innovations during the war were, they are much out of date now, and so they have no impact on today’s world. But to another, who understand the world and how it grows, realize that wherever a nation is, it is in that position because of its history. This means that without all of the improvements of technology during World War II, the world as we know it today would be very much different on many levels. One of the levels which has a great impact on today’s world would be the improvements of technology. But as what was said before, almost anything new cannot be created without first developing the old. Therefore, one must look back at the past to not only find the origins of World War II, and its impact, but also to World War I, and not only did it set the groundwork this massive growth of advancement, but without these technologies, then those who won, may have lost, therefore altering history.
Cell phones have immensely changed the way people communicate today. A cell phone can be all a person need for interaction. From a cell phone, a person can make calls, send text messages, emails, and send and also receive directions, buy things online, do online banking, listen to music and much more. Since someone can do everything with one device, there is no longer a need to go around with multiple devices about. Greek hydraulic semaphore systems were used as early as the 4th century. The hydraulic semaphores, which functioned with water filled containers and visual signals, functioned as optical telegraphs. However, they could only apply a very limited range of pre-determined messages, and as with all such visual telegraphs could only be deployed during good visibility conditions. Experiments on communication using electricity was carried out in 1729 but was not successful. The experiment was proposed by William Fothergill Cooke. In 1837, William invented a practical electric telegraph which entered commercial use in 1838 (J. B. Calvert, May 2004). The first telephone was invented in 1878 by Alexander Graham Bell. He experimented with a ‘phonautograph’, it is a machine shaped like a pen that can draw shapes of sound waves on smoked glass by tracing vibrations.